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STATUS AS AT : 17-05-2013 10:15:56 EDT
CHAPTER XVIII
PENAL MATTERS
4 . Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery
Geneva, 7 September 1956
Entry into force
:
30 April 1957, in accordance with article 13.
Registration :
30 April 1957, No. 3822
Status :
Signatories : 35. Parties : 123
Text :
United Nations,  Treaty Series , vol. 266, p. 3.
Note :
The Convention was adopted by the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on a Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery.  The Conference was convened pursuant to resolution 608 (XXI)1 of 30 April 1956 of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, and met at the European Office of the United Nations in Geneva from 13 August to 4 September 1956.  In addition to the Convention, the Conference adopted the Final Act and two resolutions for the texts of which, see United Nations,  Treaty Series , vol. 226, p. 3.
Participant 2, 3, 4, 5
Signature
 Accession(a), Succession(d), Ratification
Afghanistan
   16 Nov 1966 a
Albania
    6 Nov 1958 a
Algeria
   31 Oct 1963 a
Antigua and Barbuda
   25 Oct 1988 d
Argentina
   13 Aug 1964 a
Australia
  7 Sep 1956
 6 Jan 1958
Austria
    7 Oct 1963 a
Azerbaijan
   16 Aug 1996 a
Bahamas
   10 Jun 1976 d
Bahrain
   27 Mar 1990 a
Bangladesh
    5 Feb 1985 a
Barbados
    9 Aug 1972 d
Belarus
  7 Sep 1956
 5 Jun 1957
Belgium
  7 Sep 1956
13 Dec 1962
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
    6 Oct 1983 a
Bosnia and Herzegovina 6
   1 Sep 1993 d
Brazil
    6 Jan 1966 a
Bulgaria
 26 Jun 1957
21 Aug 1958
Cambodia
   12 Jun 1957 a
Cameroon
   27 Jun 1984 a
Canada
  7 Sep 1956
10 Jan 1963
Central African Republic
   30 Dec 1970 a
Chile
   20 Jun 1995 a
Congo
   25 Aug 1977 a
Côte d'Ivoire
   10 Dec 1970 a
Croatia 6
  12 Oct 1992 d
Cuba
 10 Jan 1957
21 Aug 1963
Cyprus
   11 May 1962 d
Czech Republic 7
  22 Feb 1993 d
Democratic Republic of the Congo
   28 Feb 1975 a
Denmark
 27 Jun 1957
24 Apr 1958
Djibouti
   21 Mar 1979 a
Dominica
   17 Aug 1994 d
Dominican Republic
   31 Oct 1962 a
Ecuador
   29 Mar 1960 a
Egypt
   17 Apr 1958 a
El Salvador
  7 Sep 1956
 
Ethiopia
   21 Jan 1969 a
Fiji
   12 Jun 1972 d
Finland
    1 Apr 1959 a
France
  7 Sep 1956
26 May 1964
Germany 8, 9
 7 Sep 1956
14 Jan 1959
Ghana
    3 May 1963 a
Greece
  7 Sep 1956
13 Dec 1972
Guatemala
  7 Sep 1956
11 Nov 1983
Guinea
   14 Mar 1977 a
Haiti
  7 Sep 1956
12 Feb 1958
Hungary
  7 Sep 1956
26 Feb 1958
Iceland
   17 Nov 1965 a
India
  7 Sep 1956
23 Jun 1960
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
   30 Dec 1959 a
Iraq
  7 Sep 1956
30 Sep 1963
Ireland
   18 Sep 1961 a
Israel
  7 Sep 1956
23 Oct 1957
Italy
  7 Sep 1956
12 Feb 1958
Jamaica
   30 Jul 1964 d
Jordan
   27 Sep 1957 a
Kazakhstan
    1 May 2008 a
Kuwait
   18 Jan 1963 a
Kyrgyzstan
    5 Sep 1997 a
Lao People's Democratic Republic
    9 Sep 1957 a
Latvia
   14 Apr 1992 a
Lesotho
    4 Nov 1974 d
Liberia
  7 Sep 1956
 
Libya
   16 May 1989 a
Luxembourg
  7 Sep 1956
 1 May 1967
Madagascar
   29 Feb 1972 a
Malawi
    2 Aug 1965 a
Malaysia
   18 Nov 1957 a
Mali
    2 Feb 1973 a
Malta
    3 Jan 1966 d
Mauritania
    6 Jun 1986 a
Mauritius
   18 Jul 1969 d
Mexico
  7 Sep 1956
30 Jun 1959
Mongolia
   20 Dec 1968 a
Montenegro 10
  23 Oct 2006 d
Morocco
   11 May 1959 a
Nepal
    7 Jan 1963 a
Netherlands 11
 7 Sep 1956
 3 Dec 1957
New Zealand 12
  26 Apr 1962 a
Nicaragua
   14 Jan 1986 a
Niger
   22 Jul 1963 a
Nigeria
   26 Jun 1961 d
Norway
  7 Sep 1956
 3 May 1960
Pakistan
  7 Sep 1956
20 Mar 1958
Paraguay
   27 Sep 2007 a
Peru
  7 Sep 1956
 
Philippines
   17 Nov 1964 a
Poland
  7 Sep 1956
10 Jan 1963
Portugal 3
 7 Sep 1956
10 Aug 1959
Romania
  7 Sep 1956
13 Nov 1957
Russian Federation
  7 Sep 1956
12 Apr 1957
Rwanda
    4 Oct 2006 a
San Marino
  7 Sep 1956
29 Aug 1967
Saudi Arabia
    5 Jul 1973 a
Senegal
   19 Jul 1979 a
Serbia 6
  12 Mar 2001 d
Seychelles
    5 May 1992 a
Sierra Leone
   13 Mar 1962 d
Singapore
   28 Mar 1972 d
Slovakia 7
  28 May 1993 d
Slovenia 6
   6 Jul 1992 d
Solomon Islands
    3 Sep 1981 d
Spain
   21 Nov 1967 a
Sri Lanka
  5 Jun 1957
21 Mar 1958
St. Lucia
   14 Feb 1990 d
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
    9 Nov 1981 a
Sudan
  7 Sep 1956
 9 Sep 1957
Suriname
   12 Oct 1979 d
Sweden
   28 Oct 1959 a
Switzerland
   28 Jul 1964 a
Syrian Arab Republic 13
  17 Apr 1958 a
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 6
  18 Jan 1994 d
Togo
    8 Jul 1980 a
Trinidad and Tobago
   11 Apr 1966 d
Tunisia
   15 Jul 1966 a
Turkey
 28 Jun 1957
17 Jul 1964
Turkmenistan
    1 May 1997 a
Uganda
   12 Aug 1964 a
Ukraine
  7 Sep 1956
 3 Dec 1958
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4
 7 Sep 1956
30 Apr 1957
United Republic of Tanzania
   28 Nov 1962 a
United States of America
    6 Dec 1967 a
Uruguay
    7 Jun 2001 a
Zambia
   26 Mar 1973 d
Zimbabwe
    1 Dec 1998 d
Declarations and Reservations
(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations and reservations were made
upon ratification, accession or succession.)
Bahrain
       
[See in chapter XVIII.2.]


Territorial Application
Participant
 Date of receipt of the notification
 Territories
Australia 6 Jan 1958 All the non-self governing, trust and other non-metropolitan territories for the international relations of which Australia is responsible
France 26 May 1964 All the territories of the Republic (Metropolitan France, overseas departments and territories)
Italy 12 Feb 1958 Somaliland under Italian Administration
Netherlands 3 Dec 1957 Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands New Guinea and Suriname
New Zealand 26 Apr 1962 Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau Islands
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4, 14, 15 30 Apr 1957 Channel Islands and Isle of Man
United States of America 6 Dec 1967 All territories for the international relations of which the United States of America is responsible
Notifications made under article 12 (2)
Participant
 Date of receipt of the notification:
 Territories:
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
 6 Sep 1957
 Aden, Bahamas, Barbados, Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Bermuda, British Guiana, British Honduras, Brunei, Cyprus, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Fiji, Gambia, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kenya, Antigua, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, Virgin Islands, Malta, Mauritius, North Borneo, St. Helena, Sarawak, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somaliland Protectorate, Swaziland, Tanganyika, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Solomon Islands Protectorate, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Zanzibar, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Bahrain, Qatar, The Trucial States (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and Ummal Qaiwain)
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
 18 Oct 1957
 Dominica and Tonga
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
 21 Oct 1957
 Kuwait
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
 30 Oct 1957
 Uganda
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
 14 Nov 1957
 Trinidad and Tobago
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
 1 July 1957
 The Federation of Nigeria
End Note
1. Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, Twenty-first Session, Supplement No. 1 (E/2889), p. 7.
2.The Convention had been signed on behalf of the Republic of Viet-Nam on 7 September 1956.  See also note 1 under “Viet Nam” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
3.On 27 April 1999, the Government of Portugal informed the Secretary-General that the Convention would apply to Macao. On that same date and subsquently on 3 December 1999, the Secretary-General received communications concerning the status of Macao from Portugal and the China (see also note 3 under “China” and note 1 under “Portugal” regarding Macao in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume).  Upon resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Macao, China notified the Secretary-General that the Convention will also apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region.
4.The Secretary-General received, on 10 June 1999, communications concerning the status of Hong Kong from China and the United Kingdom (see also note 2 under “China” and note 2 under “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” regarding Hong Kong in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume).  Upon resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, China notified the Secretary-General that the Convention will also apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

In addition, the communication by the Government of China also contained the following declaration:

The Government of the People's Republic of China also declares that the signature and ratification by the Taiwan authorities in the name of China on 23 May 1957 and 28 May 1959 respectively of the [said Convention] are all illegal and therefore null and void.
5.Signed and ratified on behalf of the Republic of China on 23 May 1957 and 28 May 1959, respectively (note 1 under “China” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume).

In communications addressed to the Secretary-General with reference to the above-mentioned signature and/or ratification, the Permanent Missions to the United Nations of Czechoslovakia, Denmark, India, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Yugoslavia stated that, since their Governments did not recognize the Nationalist Chinese authorities as the Government of China, they could not regard the said signature or ratification as valid.  The Permanent Missions of Czechoslovakia and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics further stated that the sole authorities entitled to act for China and the Chinese people in the United Nations and in international relations, and to sign, ratify, accede or denounce treaties, conventions and agreements on behalf of China, were the Government of the People's Republic of China and its duly appointed representatives.

In a note addressed to the Secretary-General, the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations stated that the Government of the Republic of China was the only legal Government which represented China and the Chinese people in international relations and that, therefore, the allegations made in the above-mentioned communica tions as to the lack of validity of the signature or ratification in question had no legal foundation whatever.
6.The former Yugoslavia had signed and ratified the Convention on 7 September 1956 and 20 May 1958, respectively. See also note 1 under "Bosnia and Herzegovina", "Croatia", "former Yugoslavia", "Slovenia", "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" and "Yugoslavia"  in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.
7.Czechoslovakia had signed and ratified the Convention on 7 September 1956 and 13 June 1958, respectively. See also note 1 under “Czech Republic” and note 1 under “Slovakia” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
8.See note 1 under “Germany” regarding Berlin (West) in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
9.The German Democratic Republic had acceded to the Convention on 16 July 1974.  See also note 2 under “Germany” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
10.See note 1 under "Montenegro" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.
11.See note 1 under “Netherlands” regarding Aruba/Netherlands Antilles in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
12.See note 1 under “New Zealand” regarding Tokelau in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
13.Accession by the United Arab Republic. See note 1 under “United Arab Republic (Egypt/Syria)” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
14.On 3 October 1983, the Secretary-General received from the Government of Argentina the following objection:

[The Government of Argentina makes a] formal objection to the [declaration] of territorial extension issued by the United Kingdom with regard to the Malvinas Islands (and dependencies), which that country is illegally occupying and refers to as the "Falkland Islands".

The Argentine Republic rejects and considers null and void the [said declaration] of territorial extension.

With reference to the above-mentioned objection, the Secretary-General received, on 28 February 1985, from the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland the following declaration:

"The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have no doubt as to their right, by notification to the Depositary under the relevant provisions of the above-mentioned Convention, to extend the application of the Convention in question to the Falkland Islands or to the Falkland Islands  Dependencies, as the case may be.

For this reason alone, the Government of the United Kingdom are unable to regard the Argentine [communication] under reference as having any legal effect."
15.See note 1 under “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.